Rural Payments and Services

THIS NEWS RELEASE WAS ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT ON 12/05/2015

Rural Affairs Secretary issues statement after meeting with dairy company.

Following his meeting with the CEO of First Milk, Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead has issued the following statement.

Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said:

“Today’s meeting with First Milk was useful and we agreed that the most effective way to move forward is to work together. Whilst I welcome the efforts of the company to get on to a more stable footing, I explained I was disappointed with the recent price reduction announced to all dairy farmers, and in particular with the 1.2ppl reduction to Bute dairy farmers. I have urged First Milk to reverse this reduction as soon as they are able to do so. I also confirmed that we expect to provide the £400,000 grant funding award for development of Campbeltown Creamery imminently.

Earlier this year I published the Scottish Government’s Scottish Dairy Plan, which set out the actions we are taking to assist the industry get back to a place where it can look forward to a brighter future. In order to do that we need a streamlined industry approach – and First Milk will be an integral part of that. If everyone works together as an industry I am confident that the Scottish dairy sector will see market benefits both at home and overseas.

Scottish dairy products are up there with the very best in the world and our dairy farmers and processors have a proud tradition of excellence and quality in their products. That is why I want to launch a Scottish dairy brand – by making it easier to identify dairy products that were made here in Scotland, we make it easier for shoppers to choose local options and support their farmers.

If we all work together to do our bit – retailers, shoppers, the public sector, processors and farmers – we can look forward to a day when the top sellers of dairy in Scotland are the ones made in our country.”